buckle 1 of 2

verb

Definition of bucklenext
1
as in to collapse
to fall down or in as a result of physical pressure the flimsy bridge buckled under the weight of the caravan of trucks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to devote
to occupy (oneself) diligently or with close attention buckled himself down and finished the assignment in record time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

buckle

2 of 2

noun

as in loop

Related Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of buckle
Verb
Late May to mid June – Tension rises The Fever’s championship expectations began to buckle after consecutive losses to Golden State and expansion Portland. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026 His characters confront moments of reckoning—some comic, others karmic, often both—where self-belief collides with a buckling status quo. — Ryan Chapman, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
Surface tree roots may also push their way through sidewalk cracks or buckle pavement in driveways. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 28 Sep. 2026 For women, a plaid dress featured a keyhole detail set off by a shoe buckle — shoes being an unlikely inspiration for the collection. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buckle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buckle
  1. collapse
  2. devote
  3. loop
  4. go
  5. apply
  6. fold
  7. give
  8. spiral
Verb
  • The moment the actors wink at the audience, the movie collapses.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The yellow house on Seaside Walk began to collapse Sunday morning, according to two Long Beach Fire Department lifeguards.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of collapse
Verb
  • Reactions, however, ranged from pure fascination and respect for his 12-year project to critics questioning whether Tomlin, who parted ways with the Steelers in January of this year, had devoted too much time to his virtual city.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Now heading into its 14th edition alongside the Lumière Film Festival, run by Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux, the MIFC remains relatively small but occupies a unique position as a marketplace devoted entirely to classic and heritage film.
    — Lise Pedersen, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of devote
Noun
  • Not a crisis — yet The negative feedback loop becomes more dangerous when nominal economic growth falls to low levels, causing debt relative to the size of the economy to rise persistently, Reese said.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • What knocks him for a deadly loop is a powdered, pampered piece of work called Mildred (Elizabeth Teeter).
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of loop
Verb
  • But this is an album that’s apparently about the artist’s double life, and the questions that are bound to be at the forefront of any curious listener’s mind go unaddressed.
    — Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Her bravery reverberates across the country and the crimes against her will not go unpunished.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of go
Verb
  • Haynie may have been responding to reports specific to Syracuse, but his response applies to all colleges.
    — Reynald Fasciaux, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Because the workers had troubles, that's why this settlement has been applied.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of apply
Noun
  • This could’ve been a story of seasoned elders welcoming a new voice into their fold.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
  • By the last full fold, the dough should be significantly smoother and tighter.
    — Jesse Szewczyk, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fold
Verb
  • Although only group tours are available, there's a free audio app, which gives insight into the collection.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Among Steinbeck purists, giving Cathy a trauma backstory has proven a controversial move — one that just might turn the story’s main moral on its head.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of give
Noun
  • Don't expect the enormous spiral shown in long-exposure photographs.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In Proserpina, eleven vertical yellow wooden rods, enrobed in layers of gray and maroon wire netting, increase in length around a wire-mesh spiral that reaches three feet at its tallest point.
    — Nicole Rudick, The New York Review of Books, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of spiral

Browse Nearby Words

bucking up
buckle
buckled
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Cite this Entry

“Buckle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buckle. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on buckle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buckle

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